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    Isaiah
    Isaiah
    Isaiah
    Ebook530 pages7 hours

    Isaiah

    By Dr. Brian J. Bailey

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    About this ebook

    The Book of Isaiah is a book of dramatic prophecies expressing in a beautiful, literary language the very heart of God towards His people. In his commentary on this exceptional book, Dr. Brian Bailey presents us with insight and revelation that shows us the ways of God more perfectly, explaining the meanings of Isaiah’s prophetic messages to natural Israel as well as to the Church. Therefore, an in-depth study of this book is essential for all who desire to understand the signs of the times.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZion Christian Publishers
    Release dateAug 7, 2017
    ISBN9781596656833
    Isaiah

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      Book preview

      Isaiah - Dr. Brian J. Bailey

      ISAIAH

      Version 1.0

      by  Brian J. Bailey

      Edited by Paul & Betsy Caram

      Isaiah

       © 1994 Brian J. Bailey

      Design of Front Cover:

      ©  Zion Fellowship Inc.

      All rights reserved

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles or reviews.

      All Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the

      King James Version Bible unless otherwise stated.

      Published as an e-book on August 2017

      in the United States of America

      E-book ISBN 1-59665-683-2

      For more information, please contact:

      Zion Christian Publishers

      A Zion Fellowship ® Ministry

      P.O. Box 70

      Waverly, New York 14892

      Toll free: 1-877-768-7466

      Fax: 607-565-3329

      www.zcpublishers.com

      DEDICATED

      To the Lord Jesus Christ, the One whom

      Isaiah foresaw as the Light of the world.

      And to my dear wife, Audrey, with whom

      it has been my privilege to have preached

      the Gospel light unto so many nations.

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      We wish to extend our thanks to all the following:

      To Pastor Paul Caram - as the general editor of my books, for his editing of the content of Isaiah and overall input into the flow of the book.

      To Betsy Caram - for her valuable editorial suggestions and assistance.

      To Brian Alarid - for his diligence behind the computer while he prepared the manuscripts of this book for publication.

      To Pastor Joseph Cilluffo - for his creative input into the artistic flow of Isaiah, and his front cover artwork in the first edition.

      To Leslie Sisby - for her excellent assistance in the proofreading of this book.

      To Melissa Gardner - for her superb final touches in the proofreading of this book. 

      To the rest of the editorial team:  Carla Borges, Justin Kropf, Sarah Kropf, Hannah Schrock, and Suzanne Ying.

      We wish to extend our thanks to these dear ones for without their many hours of invaluable assistance, this book would not have been possible. We are truly grateful for their diligence, creativity, and excellence in the compilation of this book for the glory of God.

      PREFACE

      This book is prayerfully presented in the hope that it may reveal some of the marvellous treasures that the Holy Spirit has given through the prophet Isaiah. We have arranged this book in the following manner:

      First there is an in-depth outline of the themes that flow throughout the pages of Isaiah’s prophecy. Each line has a scriptural reference so that the reader can find the exposé of any particular subject he desires by turning to the appropriate chapter and verse listed. The outline is followed by a chapter-by-chapter and verse by verse exegesis of the text of the book.

      By this method we trust that the reader will not only acquire an overall understanding and appreciation of this most wonderful and beloved of all the prophetical books, but also a point by point illumination of the truths that each verse contains. It is our prayer that the blessings of this book may become a reality in each of our lives, as well as a means whereby we can share them with others through preaching or teaching Bible study groups. God bless you!

      Brian J. Bailey

      INTRODUCTION

      Isaiah means Jehovah is Salvation. Isaiah, the prophet, was married to a prophetess, and they had two sons (Isa. 7:3, 8:3-4). Isaiah ministered to the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His ministry was during a period when the Assyrian empire was at its zenith, prior to its destruction by the Babylonians a century later. Isaiah, according to tradition, was martyred in the reign of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah.

      A brief chronological table of the kings is given in the appendix so readers can easily study the time period in which Isaiah was written, and also have an understanding of the future events of which he prophesied. One of the significant aspects of his prophetic office was his profound revelation and understanding of the life and ministry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is treated in detail, not only in the outline but also in the text of this book. As Isaiah speaks to us of events ranging from before creation to the new heavens and new earth, it is clear that he had unparalleled revelation. Only John had a greater revelatory span than Isaiah.

      Along with Genesis, Deuteronomy, and Psalms, the book of Isaiah is the book most often quoted by our Lord during His earthly ministry. The book of Isaiah is commonly referred to as a miniature Bible. One of the remarkable aspects of this precious book is that it is divided up into 66 chapters, which is the number of books in the Bible. The Bible is divided into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains 39 books and the New Testament contains 27 books. Isaiah is also divided into two main sections. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah compose what we call the Old Testament of Isaiah (ch. 1-39), and they relate primarily to the Old Testament period. The last 27 chapters compose the New Testament of Isaiah (ch. 40-66), beginning with the ministry of John the Baptist in chapter 40. Therefore, the apocryphal books (which were added to our accepted 66 books) obviously have no place in the canon of scripture.

      OUTLINE OF THE MAJOR THEMES IN ISAIAH

      I.  THE LIFE OF CHRIST

      A. HIS EARLY YEARS

      1. His Conception

        a. Isaiah 7:14 - Behold a virgin shall conceive

        b. Isaiah 8:3 - Isaiah’s wife (a type) conceives

        c. Matthew 1:18-21 - Mary conceives by the Holy Ghost.

      2. He is Called From the Womb

        a. Isaiah 49:1 - The Lord has called me from the womb

        b. Matthew 1:21 - He shall save His people from their sins

        c. Jeremiah 1:5 - The prophet is likewise called

        d. Galatians 1:15 - The Apostle Paul

        e. Revelation 17:8 - So is every saint, too

      3. Named From the Womb

        a. Isaiah 49:1 - Hath made mention of my name

        b. Isaiah 8:1 - Isaiah’s son, Mahershalalhashbaz

        c. Matthew 1:21 - Call His name Jesus

        d. Isaiah 44:28 - Cyrus, King of Persia

        e. I Kings 13:2 - Josiah, King of Judah (2 Ki. 23:21-23).

        f. The name signifies character and ministry

      4. His Birth

        a. Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a child is born

        b. Luke 2:7, 12 - Mary brought forth her firstborn, a babe

      5. His Growth

        a. Isaiah 7:15 - Butter and honey shall he eat, to refuse evil and choose good

        b. Luke 2:40 - Christ grew, filled with wisdom

        c. Isaiah 53:2 - A root out of dry ground (Galilee of the nations)

      6. Christ—the Arrow of God

        a. The point - His mouth and His word - Isaiah 51:16; 59:21; Luke 2:46

        b. Hidden in the shadow of God’s hand -Isaiah 49:2; 51:16; Hebrews 5:8

        c. Polished - His humanity

        d. The quiver - The waiting process - Psalm 105:17-19

      7. The Son is Given

        a. Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a son is given

        b. The mature, tried, tested, and the only begotten of the Father

      B. HIS MINISTRY

      1. The Vessel

        a. Isaiah 9:6 - A son is given, contrasted with a child is born - Formed

        b. Isaiah 11:5 - Righteousness—the girdle of His loins. Faithfulness—the girdle of His reins tried.

        c. Isaiah 11:1 - A branch shall grow out of His roots

         Isaiah 52:13 - Prudent

         Isaiah 9:6 - Wonderful, Counsellor - Mature

      2. The Call

        a. Geographical

         1.) The land - Isaiah 9:1 - Zebulun and Naphtal (Galilee of the nations) - Mt.4:13-17

         2.) The people

          a.) Israel - Isaiah 49:5

          b.) Gentiles - Isaiah 42:6

        b. Ministerial

         1.) To preach good tidings - Isaiah 61:1

          a.) Forgiveness - Isaiah 1:18; 43:25; 44:22

          b.) Salvation - Isaiah 45:22; 17:10

          c.) Joy - Isaiah 44:23 - Singing that follows forgiveness (Isa. 12:1-3)

          d.) Righteousness - Isaiah 59:1-19

          e.) Peace

         2.) Bind up the broken hearted

         3.) Proclaim liberty to the bound

         4.) Opening of the prison house - Isaiah 42:7, 22

         5.) Healing the sick - Isaiah 53:5

      3. The Anointing

        a. The seven spirits of the Lord - Isaiah 11:2

        b. The baptism of the Holy Spirit - Isaiah 28:11; 44:3

      4. The Grace of God

        a. His graciousness

         1.) Isaiah 30:18 - In waiting

         2.) Isaiah 40:11 - In gathering and carrying the lambs

        b. His ability

         1.) Isaiah 63:11-To bring up from the world

         2.) Isaiah 63:13-The progressive walk

         3.) Isaiah 51:18-To guide those who have no leaders

      C. HIS SUFFERINGS, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION

      1. His Sufferings

        a. The purpose of sufferings in God for the Christian are:

         1.) To bear the punishment for personal sins - Leviticus 26:41

         2.) To learn obedience - Hebrews 5:8

         3.) To suffer for others, vicariously

         * Since Christ was the sinless Lamb of God, only # ’s 2-3 apply.

        b. To learn obedience - Hebrews 5:8

        c. The vicarious sufferings of Jesus Christ

         1.) The principle that suffering is in the will of God

          a.) Philippians 1:29 - It is given to you to suffer for His sake

          b.) Romans 8:17 - We are joint-heirs with Christ if we suffer with Him

          c.) I Peter 4:19 - Suffer according to the will of God

         2.) This revelation has to be given by God

          a.) Isaiah 50:5 - The Lord God hath opened mine ears (Ps. 40:6,8)

          b.) Isaiah 50:5 - I was not rebellious; I set my face like a flint (Isa. 50:7)

          c.) Isaiah 50:5 - Neither turned away back

          d.) Isaiah 50:6 - I gave my back to the smiters—a voluntary offering (Ps.  129:3)

         3.) The shades and forms of the sufferings of Christ

      2. His Death - Isaiah 53:8

        a. Taken from prison

        b. No justice

        c. Cut off from the land of the living

        d. Made His grave with the wicked

        e. Numbered with transgressors

      3. His Resurrection

        a. Isaiah 26:19 - Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body

        b. Isaiah 24:23 - He shall reign before His ancients gloriously

        c. Isaiah 53:11 - He shall see His seed

        d. Psalm 49:15 - God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave

      II. ISRAEL

      A. INTRODUCTION

      1. The name Israel applies scripturally both to:

        a. A people who are the descendants of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. Jacob’s name was  later changed to Israel, and his sons form the twelve tribes of Israel.

        b.To a land

         1.) Promised

         2.) Occupied

         3.) Forsaken twice

         4.) Partially re-occupied in our days

      B. ISRAEL VIEWED HISTORICALLY

      1. The Beginnings

        a. Genesis 15:18 - Land of Israel promised by covenant relationship to Abraham

        b. Joshua 1:11 - Occupation commenced

        c. 1 Chronicles 14:17 - Fulfilled in David

      2. Their Captivities

        a. Foretold

         1.) Deut. 28:15-50  - The siege by the Babylonians  (v. 55)

         2.) Deut. 28:64 - Scattered among the nations

         3.) Deut. 28:68 - Egyptian Captivity

         4.) Deut. 29:23 - Their land burned

         5.) Deut. 32:21 - Cut off and the Church replaces them (Rom. 10:19-21; Isa. 65:1 2)

        b. Historically

         1.) 722 B.C. - Israel taken captive by Assyria

         2.) 605 B.C. - King Jehoiakim of Judah, partial captivity (Daniel taken also)

         3.) 597 B.C. - King Jehoichin taken captive (Ezekiel taken also)

         4.) 586 B.C. - The Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon.  King Zedekiah taken captive (Jeremiah remains in Jerusalem with a remnant)

         5.) 70 A.D. - Titus, the Roman general, destroys Jerusalem

      3. Isaiah foretells of:

        a. Assyrian domination

         1.) Its siege of Jerusalem - Isaiah 1:8-9; 22:1 (2 Ki. 20;2 Chr. 32:3-4)

         2.) God’s purpose - Isaiah 10:12

         3.) Destruction of the besieging army - Isaiah 10:25,27; 30:31; 31:5,8

         Fulfilled in Isa. 37:34-38 and 2 Chr. 32:8

        b. Babylonian Empire

         1.) Its rise - Isaiah 13:1-5 (Their origin - Nimrod -Genesis 10:10)

         2.) Used to judge Israel - Isaiah 39:7

         3.) They will show no mercy to Israel ; Isaiah 47:6

         4.) Filled with astrology (Isa. 47:12) and idolatry (Isa. 46:1-2)

         5.) Their destruction by the Medes – Isaiah 13:6-18; 14:22-23; 21:9; 41:14

         6.) The siege of Babylon - Isaiah 21:2,9; 44:27

         7.) The king of Babylon likened to Lucifer - Isaiah 14:4-21

      4. The Reasons for Israel’s Judgments

        a. Rebellion - Isaiah 1:2; 30:1

        b. Laden with iniquity - Isaiah 1:4

        c. Sodomites - Isaiah 1:10; Leviticus 18:22;20:13

        d. Offering vain oblations to the Lord - Isaiah 1:13;29:13

        e. Whoredom - Isaiah 1:21

        f. Loving bribes and rewards - Isa. 1:23; 5:23

        g. Their leaders caused them to err - Isa. 3:12; 9:15 16

        h. Their women were vain - Isa. 3:12 - 4:1

        i. They lacked the knowledge of God - Isaiah 5:13

        j. They refused to turn to God - Isa. 30:8-9

      5. The Purpose of Israel’s Judgments

        a. Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth - Hebrews 12:6

        b. The Assyrian—the rod of God’s anger -  Isaiah 10:5 (c.f. Prov. 20:30)

        c. To purge the iniquity of Israel - Isaiah 27:9;  But the people turned not to Him that smiteth them - Isaiah 9:13

      6. The First Restoration

        a. Go forth from Babylon - Isaiah 48:20

        b. Jerusalem to be rebuilt by the decree of Cyrus- Isaiah 44:28; 45:1-3

        c. The ensuing time of learning foretold -  Isaiah 29:24; 30:21 – Fulfilled in the time of the translation of the Septuagint (LXX) in Egypt, and prior to that, by Ezra, the teaching priest.

      7. Various Nations

        a. Ethiopia

         1.) Judgment (Isa. 18:1-6), given into the hand of  the Assyrians (Isa. 20:4)

         2.) Millennial turning to the Lord –Isaiah 45:14; Psalm 68:31

        b. Egypt - Isaiah 19

         1.) v. 4 - Given over to Nebuchadnezzar

         2.) v. 18-22 - A turning to God under the Ptolemies

         3.) v. 23-25 - Millennial restoration

         4.) Isa. 20:4 - Given into the hand of the Assyrians

        c. Tyre - Isaiah 23

         1.) Ceases from being a city and undergoes 70 years of judgment during the Babylonian period - v.14-15; Isaiah 29:17

         2.) Restored after this period - v. 15-18

      8. The Little Apocalypse of Isaiah - Ch. 24

        a. The Lord maketh the earth empty

        b. The earth is defiled because it has:

         1.) Transgressed the laws

         2.) Changed the ordinances

         3.) Broken the everlasting covenant

        c. The earth will reel to and fro

      9. The Judgments upon Judah and Israel

        a. The scattering of Israel - Isaiah 26:15

        b. Jerusalem’s desolation - Isaiah 27:10

        c. The young King Zedekiah’s reign foretold - Isaiah 3:1-8

      C. ISRAEL VIEWED PROPHETICALLY

      1. The Second Captivity - AD 70

        a. Foretold in Isaiah 65:11-16

        b. They are those who refused the outstretched hands of the Lord in the early N.T. period - Isaiah 65:2

      2. The Second Restoration

        a. Isaiah 11:11 - He will set His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people that shall be left.

        b. Isaiah 66:8 - A nation shall be born at once (1948).

        c. Jeremiah 30:1-8 - But it is a time of trouble and not of peace.

      3. The nations who will trouble Israel in the last days

        a. Egypt

        b. Syria

        c. Lebanon

        d. Assyria and Babylon (Modern-day Iraq)

        e. Persia (Modern-day Iran)

        f. Ethiopia

        g. Moab and Ammon (Modern-day Jordan)

        h. Edom (Jordan)

      4. Jerusalem Besieged

      5. Millennial Restoration of Israel

        a. Israel shall become righteous – Isa.1:25 27; 4:4; 26:1-4

        b. They will become priests and ministers - Isaiah 61:6

        c. Jerusalem will become a praise in the earth - Isaiah 62

        d. The centre of teaching - Isaiah 4:2-3

        e. The land will be transformed - Isaiah 35:1-10

        f. Peace and no wars - Isaiah 4:4; 66:12; 65:25

        g. No sickness - Isaiah 33:24

        h. Longevity - Isaiah 65:20

        i. Assyria, Egypt and Israel - Isaiah 19:23-25

        j. Zion - Isaiah 51:11

        k. Yet sin will still exist - Isaiah 26:10; 65:20

        l. An open pit will show examples to all throughout  the Millennium - Isaiah 66:24

      III. THE CHURCH IN ISAIAH

      A. INTRODUCTION

      * When viewed prophetically, there is a general rule of thumb to determine whether prophecies apply to  the Church or to Israel.

      1. If the prophecies are judgmental in nature, they apply to Israel.

      2 .If the prophecies are blessings, they apply to the Church in the last days and to Israel during the Millennium.

      B. THE FOUNDATION STONE - ISAIAH 28:16-17

      C. THE WELLS OF SALVATION - ISAIAH 12:3

      D. THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST

      1. Isaiah 28:11 - Stammering Lips

      2. Isaiah 44:3 - Outpouring of the Spirit

      3. Isaiah 43:10 - To be witnesses

        a. That ye may know

        b. Believe Me

        c. And understand

        d. That I Am

      E. THE PEOPLE THAT SHALL SHEW FORTH THE PRAISES OF GOD - ISAIAH 43:21

      1. A light to the Gentiles

      2. A covenant to the people

      F. I WILL DO A NEW THING - ISAIAH 43:19

      1. Glory - Isa. 60:1-2

      2. Power

      G. PERSECUTION - ISAIAH 60:15

      H. A TREMENDOUS END-TIME HARVEST -  ISAIAH 60:5; MATTHEW 13:47

      DIVISION I – PROPHETIC CHAPTERS – 1:1 - 35:10

      PART ONE

      1:1 - 5:30

      The Great Indictment Against Israel for Her Sins

      CHAPTER 1

      The Plan of God

      In Isaiah chapters 1-2, the Lord shows us how He deals not only with Israel, but also with His rebellious children in the Church. The plan of God throughout all ages is seen in God’s dealings with Israel, which is illustrated in Isaiah chapters 1-2. Here is a brief outline of chapters 1-2:

      1.) God complains that Israel has gone backward from Him (1:4)

      a.) The faithful city has become a harlot. (1:21)

      b.) God says, Let us reason together. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.(1:18)

      2.) God says that He will turn His hand upon them and thoroughly purge away their dross. (1:25)

      a.) I will restore thy judges as at the beginning. The city shall be righteousness, the faithful city. (1:26)

        b.) Zion shall be redeemed with judgment. (1:27)

      3.) In the last days after its restoration, Israel will become the teacher of the nations. From Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of  the Lord from Jerusalem. (2:3)

      4.) God deals with individuals as He does with nations. Example: Their king, David. After his restoration, David became Israel’s shepherd.

      a.) Purge me. (Ps. 51:7)

      b.) Restore me. (Ps. 51:12 )

      c.) Then shall I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee. (Ps. 51:13)

      1:2 - Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. I have used this verse to console many godly parents who have mourned because one of their children has backslidden. There was never such a perfect father as the Heavenly Father, yet consider His lament.

      The often quoted verse concerning the raising of children is Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Yet this truth is also dependent upon the child. He must respond to the training of his parents. Also, this verse suggests that it is when he is old, not necessarily in his formative years, that he will not depart from the ways of God and will return to Him. As in the story of the prodigal son, the one who has been rightly trained will return to the old ways that he was taught in his youth when he is older. Thus it shall be with Israel.

      Although as a nation she has grievously strayed from the ways of God, Israel will return to the follow the Lord and walk on His paths in the last days. This chapter illustrates the history of Israel in capsule form, showing not only her rebellion, but also her return to God in the last days. How wonderful it is to know that the promises of God are Yea and amen unto all who believe unto the glory of God.

      1:3 - The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.  In other words, the nation of Israel does not know to whom they belong spiritually. Regretfully, so many people today are in this same state. They wander from idol to idol, from religion to religion, and from one philosophy to another; they are ever learning, yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Why? Because they are as it says in Isaiah 1:4:

      1:4 - Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. It is good for us to realize the effects of sin, especially some sins in particular. Hosea 4:11 says, Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. Immorality and drunkenness take away the heart from its desire for the Lord. We would do well to heed the admonition of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:17-19, where Paul tells us that a person can become insensitive and be given over to all forms of uncleanness because of sin.

      The natural reaction of a parent toward a disobedient child is to punish him in order that he might turn back from his wickedness. In reality, this is what the Lord does with His rebellious children. Punishment is both punitive and redemptive. However, there may be times when natural parents are no longer convinced that their child will turn through their correction. Therefore, they give him up and permit him to go his own way. So it is with the Lord as He asks in verse 5, Why should ye be stricken any more? [The result will only be] that ye will revolt more and more.

      1:5-6 - Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. The Lord likens the state of the nation of Israel to a sick person whose whole body is covered with sores. There is no soundness or completeness in them.

      1:7-9 - Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Although these verses are prophetic, they were also fulfilled in Isaiah’s lifetime at the time of the Assyrian invasion under Sennacherib (during the reign of Hezekiah).

      This will be the subject of much of the prophecy of Isaiah in later chapters. It was a period when the Assyrians overran the land of Israel, not only the ten northern tribes, but the southern kingdom of Judah as well. All that remained at the end of the kingdom was the capital city of Jerusalem, which was besieged and surrounded by about 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Sennacherib’s captain, offering to give Hezekiah 2,000 horses, challenged him by asking if he even had enough men to ride them (Isa. 36:8).

      1:10 - Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. For the second time the Lord now addresses the rulers of Jerusalem as He did the rulers of Sodom. It must be clear to all of us that one of the most important reasons why the judgments of God were falling upon Israel was that there were practicing Sodomites in the land, even among the rulers of the nation. Homosexuality is an abomination to God! God’s judgments come upon any land that permits sodomy to be practiced. He will especially judge the Western nations who are today legalizing sodomy because they have far greater light and truth than some of these other heathen nations. We should also be mindful of the words of Jude, the Lord’s brother, in this respect. He said in Jude 1:7, Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Yet, those who were practicing homosexuality were offering up to the Lord the required sacrifices according to the Levitical law.

      1:11-15 - To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting [I cannot bear your evil assemblies]. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Even though they were committing terrible sins, they were still offering up sacrifices to God. So many people who turn from God and go into gross immorality and sin continue to carry out their religious practices. However, God says to them, To what use is that? How can I delight in your sacrifices?

      In verse 13, He told them not to bring their sacrifices to Him any more. There are so many people who have backslidden and are living in sin, and yet they still come to church and lift up their hands in praise to the Lord. In one service that my wife and I were attending, my wife had a vision. She saw the congregation lifting up their hands in praise to God, but only about nine out of the whole congregation had white gloves on their hands. These nine were the only ones who were pure in that whole congregation. God then emphasized to my wife, I do not accept praise from everyone. I only accept the praise of those who are pure in My eyes. It is also evident from the last phrase in verse 15 that they were guilty of shedding innocent blood. The Lord’s remedy is seen in Isaiah 1:16:

      1:16 - Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil. There is only one way to wash ourselves spiritually, and that is through obedience to the Word of God, and by the blood of the Lamb. The Apostle Peter states in 1 Peter 1:22, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. The Lord also tells us to cease from doing evil. However, it is not sufficient to simply cease from doing evil. We must always do those things that are right in the sight of the Lord and pleasing to Him, as outlined in the next verse.

      1:17 - Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. These succinct acts of righteousness are often repeated by the prophets. Of King Josiah the prophet Jeremiah says, He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord (Jer. 22:16). The Lord was pleading with the rulers of Jerusalem at this time to change their wicked ways. May God grant that many who are reading these verses will do likewise.

      1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  In this often quoted verse, familiar to so many evangelicals, the Lord at first gives a most gracious invitation by encouraging us to come to Him and reason together with Him. Oh, the humility of God! He invites poor sinful creatures to be on a par with Himself and to commune with Him concerning our woeful plight; and yet He holds out to us such wonderful hope that, even though our sins are as scarlet, they will become as white as snow.

      This is the wonder of the Godhead—that God can forgive and forget. It is expressed in Micah 7:19. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

      1:19 - If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. The Lord then continues by giving what we might term an on-going promise. There is in this promise the thought that the Lord is not just satisfied with saving us and cleansing us from our sins, but He also wants us to inherit the land. Now remember, He was speaking to His chosen nation, Israel, at this moment in time. Therefore, He was saying that they would inherit the Land of Promise, or the land of Israel as we call it today. However, it is not necessarily a geographical place that the Lord is promising to us, although it could be. It could be the land of our adoption, the land to which we are called as missionaries, or it could simply be the church which we attend.

      The Lord said in John 8:34-35: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house forever: but the Son abideth ever. Those who do not obey the Lord will not always remain in the house of God. Also, they will not come out  of spiritual darkness, as Solomon states in Proverbs 21:16, The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

      Therefore, considering these scriptures as well as others, we see that our response to what the Lord is telling us to do determines whether or not we continue in God’s purposes for our lives and whether or not we possess the inheritance that He has for us. We not only have to be obedient, but also willing. We must say with David in Psalm 40:8, "I delight to do thy will, O my God."

      1:20 - But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Regretfully, Israel did not heed this warning. They rebelled against the Lord and His commands and hardened their hearts. Therefore, centuries later they found themselves in captivity, first to the Assyrians and later to the Babylonians. This subject is dealt with in detail by Isaiah in later chapters.

      1:21 - How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Now the Lord cries out concerning the spiritual state of the city of Jerusalem. He declares that Jerusalem is full of adulterers. This is very symptomatic of our day, which we could certainly designate an adulterous generation. The city, which was once full of righteousness and judgment, is now filled with murderers. This reality we see in Israel should be cause for concern, as we see city after city in America reporting murders on a daily basis.

      Concerning the days just prior to His coming, the Lord stated that they would be similar to the days of Noah just before the flood (Lk. 17:26). The days of Noah were days of violence (see Gen. 6:12). All flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. There was also great immorality. That which we see in Isaiah, although speaking expressly for his days, also vividly portrays in no uncertain way the end times just before the Lord’s second coming.

      1:22 - Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed [or diluted] with water. The merchants were unscrupulously mixing base metals with their silver and watering down their wine, and this was indicative of their degenerate spiritual state.

      1:23 - Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts [or bribes], and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. The princes of  Israel were rebellious and there was no justice in the city. The people were perverting justice for gifts and bribes. Unfortunately, this is seen in many places today. However, the Lord will not permit evil to rule forever.

      1:24 - Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies.  The Lord might be longsuffering, but there comes a time when He rises up in judgment.

      1:25 - And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin.  The Lord comes to purify us as a refiner who purifies the dross, even as Malachi eloquently portrays Him in Malachi 3:3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

      1:26 - And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. After the purging comes restoration. This is one of the ways of God, and it is one that we need to understand. God is the God of restoration; but in order to be restored, we must first submit to the purifying fires. This purging process may take many forms.

      We find an excellent example of this spoken of by King David in Psalm 6:1-4: O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. Then in Psalm 23:3, David said, He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Thank God for His mercy and restoration!

      Here we see God’s plan throughout all ages capsulized. Israel was faithful, but then they turned away from God. Therefore, God severely judged them, which served to purge them from their sins. After being purged, Jerusalem is called the city of righteousness again. God wants all those who have gone astray to be restored to purity and righteousness.

      1:27 - Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. The glorious message of restoration continues now in verse 27. It is judgment that redeems and restores. Let us understand that this is the message that flows through the Word of God for the repentant sinner or saint who has fallen by the wayside or into a terrible pit. The same glorious deliverance that David experienced, as described in Psalm 40:1-3, is available to all:

      "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and

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